Society teaches women to prefer apple martinis to whiskey, just like it teaches them as children to prefer the color pink to the color blue.

In a college setting, like at Syracuse University, both genders heavily participate in partying and drinking. These activities build consistent traits and habits exclusive to each sex, which leads to the creation of stereotypes.

In college, these stereotypes can range from males always being better at beer pong to women having the unfortunate habit of falling down while intoxicated. Other female characteristics include drinking chasers and the use of bathroom buddies, while public fights and sidewalk bathroom breaks are common in men.

There is no one perspective when it comes to gender roles, and not every person on campus agrees with the stereotypes listed above. But these are the typecasts that are most common in college. These are the behaviors students would agree tend to resemble their peers when in a drinking environment.

Many males and females follow these stereotypes because they frequently witness and experience these actions demonstrated on college campuses. Classifications and generalizations are society’s easiest way of cultivating social norms.

For students at large universities like SU, stereotypes are both made and followed every day. They are the easy way to make sense of the many different groups of people, and between the sexes, on campus.

It is the reason guys are surprised when a girl is amazing at playing Beirut, or orders whiskey when she’s out rather than the standard cranberry and vodka.

This mindset is maintained through the media. Alcohol commercials establish which drinks are appropriate for each demographic, including gender, age, race and income.

Bud Light beer has an advertising campaign that started in 1998 called “Real Men of Genius.” The campaign humorously honors men, their professions and bizarre tendencies, such as “Mr. All You Can Eat Buffet Inventor,” “Mr. Pushup Bra Inventor” and “Mr. Male Fur Coat Wearer.”

Skinnygirl, a new brand in the alcohol industry, is a line of drinks that contains fewer calories. They advertise specifically to women with the tagline, “Drink Like a Lady.”

Consumers take from these advertisements that beer is the alcoholic beverage for every man, regardless of profession or behavior. In contrast, ladies should maintain their femininity and always look for ways to reduce their calorie count.

As college students, we may not pay as much attention to this gender designation when it comes to choosing our beverages. We tend to drink just about anything and leave the concern for taste and calories at the door. But with maturity and increased age comes the possibility to select drinks by preference rather than availability.

As we get older and graduate from college (where beverage choice is limited), we will start to conform to the rest of the world.

Our personal drink preferences will most likely be modeled after the commercials we see and the norms society has taught us. But there will always be girls who prefer a Bud Light to a fruity mixed beverage.

Paris Bethel is a sophomore advertising major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].

Published on January 16, 2013 at 1:35 am